Popular Airport | Mazar i Sharif Intl. Airport |
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Popular Airlines | |
Approximate Flight Duration | 5 hour 10 min |
Approximate Travel Distance | 4200 Km |
The airport, which is approximately 6 kilometers of the city center, is located on Bole Road. In the city where public transportation is not very developed, you can use minibuses to reach the airport. Taxi is another transportation alternative that is frequently preferred by visitors. In addition to these, you can get to the airport from the city center by renting a car or by benefitting from the airport shuttle service in case your hotel offers this service.
You can reach the airport by getting on a minibus from the minibus stops located in the city center. Minibuses generally carry passengers to the airport from 5:30 am to 09:00 pm. Although it is relatively cheaper compared to taxi, you should remember that drivers may demand higher amounts from tourists. The fare is about 5 Birr. They may also charge extra amount for each baggage.
Hotel shuttle service is the most comfortable alternative for your travel to the airport. In Addis Ababa city center, there are both small hotels and accommodation centers of chain hotels such as Hilton, Radisson and Sheraton. Some of these hotels offer airport shuttle service. If your hotel offers this service and you want to benefit from this service for your travel to the airport, you should definitely make a reservation in advance.
There are two types of taxis that you can get on to reach the airport. Mercedes taxis of the National Tour Operator (NTO) operate under a company and offer service with more comfortable vehicles. With their predetermined tariffs, they create a more reliable image in terms of the fares. You can ask your hotel to call a NTO taxi for you.
There is no taximeter in the taxis operating in Addis Ababa, so it is advised to agree on the fare before getting on. These yellow taxis are approximately 10 times more expensive than blue-white taxis. You can also reach the airport in a short time with a blue-white taxi which you can find in the city center or waiting in front of hotels. The average fare is between 80 and 100 Birr. The owners of these taxis aren’t companies but individuals. Since there is also no taximeter in blue-white taxis and fares are not standardized by a company, they are more flexible in terms of fares and you should definitely bargain.
You can rent a car from one of the car rental companies that you can find in the city center or from the offices of tour operators. You can also get help from your hotel about renting a car.
Since some roads in Addis Ababa have no name, there isn’t sufficient number of traffic signs throughout the city and there is no traffic light on many roundabouts, traffic flow isn’t in order. For this reason, renting a car during your visit may not be a good option. If you want to rent a car only for travelling to the airport from the city center, you should prefer a company which has an office at the airport.
In order to get to the airport with the car you have rented, connect to Bole Road in the city center, drive southeastward and follow the airport signs.
There are 2 terminals at the airport. Terminal 1, which offers service for domestic flights, is located in the old building. Terminal 2 offers service for international passenger transportation in the new building.
At Bole International Airport, there are many restaurants and cafes in addition to stores and a duty-free shop where you can do some shopping before your flight.
At the airport, there is also a lounge for passengers looking for a comfortable environment and a much larger lounge is now being constructed. Although there is no left luggage service at the airport, you can find other standard airport services such as pharmacy, currency exchange office and ATM.
Mazar I Sharif, a border town close to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, is the most important and biggest city of Behl Region located in the north of Afghanistan. Due to its geographical location, it has a very strategic position both in terms of politics and transport.
The city has taken its name from the belief that Ali's grave is here. The city center is made up of straight blocks that spread around Ali's tomb and cut each other perpendicularly. When you move towards the city center, all the roads would take you to this big square with the tomb, surrounded by greenery.
Already the intersection of the other roads is also squares. The traffic rules are not generally applied in the city, and as a result, there is a feeling of chaos in the roads. Traffic is almost always cramped.
Bikes and motorcycles are frequently used means of transportation in the city center. It is possible to see luxury cars and horse-drawn cars in traffic together. Mazar I Sharif railroad connects it with the neighbor Uzbekistan and the train reaches the city center. Priority in rail transport is not human transport but merchandise transport. This makes Mazar I Sharif an important trade transfer point for Afghanistan, beyond being a religious destination.
Although there are buses for long distance journeys, transportation in the city center is provided by special vehicles. From here you can go to the capital city of Kabul by bus or plane. If you want to see Belh, the birthplace of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, you can reach this old settlement with a 30-minute car journey.
The Mazar I Sharif International Airport is quite small and does not offer transportation to the city center by public transport. You can reach the city center by taxi, rental car or hotel shuttles from the airport which is 12 kilometers east of the city center. The airport does not have regular services. You have to ask when you get there.
Although it is very easy to find in a hostel or motel Mazar I Sharif, there are not much bigger hotels. You should check with your hotel whether or not they provide a shuttle service and make reservation in advance so that they can pick you up from the airport.
Taxi is means of transportation that is frequently used to get to the city center from the airport. If there is not much traffic, you can reach the city center in 16 minutes. It’s a good idea to have a deal about the fare with the taxi driver before you take the cab.
Renting a car is the most preferred method of transportation in Mazar I Sharif since you need to negotiate price with taxis, there are problems about public transportation and it is very convenient for those who want to go to surrounding cities.
Since the roads are not generally asphalt, the Jeep is the most preferred type of vehicle. You can reach the city center in about 16 minutes on a straight road for about 12 kilometers after connecting to the AH76 motorway from the airport connection road.
If you rent a car during your travel, you should be aware that traffic rules are not strictly applied in the city.